Campaigners protest at Vatican statement on gay marriages

Gay Christian campaigners issued protests today following the release of the Vatican document: 'Considerations regarding proposals to give legislative recognition to unions between homosexual persons". In a statement the London-based Roman Catholic Caucus of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement said that the document "not only totally rejects the actual, loving experience of committed gay couples, but condemns the many legislators who have granted them legal recognition." It said: "it also effectively condemns the tacit acceptance of such legislation given by many Catholic bishops around the world." "In many countries Catholic bishops have quietly, and rightly, supported various types of legislation that have given gay couples basic rights such as hospital visitation, inheritance and so on. "They have opposed use of the term 'marriage', but have accepted that in a pluralist society committed gay couples deserve basic protection and recognition under the law. This new document condemns this outright. He said the document was "a major step backwards." Echoing these views, Michael Kelly from the Australian 'Rainbow Sash Movement said the document was "relentlessly negative, cold-hearted and an insult to the dignity of gay and lesbian persons".